| Naval History of Great Britain - Vol III |
1805 |
Admiral Cornwallis and M. Ganteaume |
303 |
corvette, and two avisos, under Vice-admiral Ganteaume in the Impérial (late Vengeur, a name that no one in France, considering the circumstance out of which it had arisen, could expect would so soon have been changed), stood out of the goulet, and, at about 10 .h. 30 m. a.m., anchored in the new position between Camaret and Bertheaume:
Gun-ship |
|
Gun-ship |
|
Gun-ship |
|
120 |
Impérial, |
74 |
Batave |
74 |
Jean-Bart |
110 |
Invincible |
74 |
Brave |
74 |
Jupiter |
110 |
Républicain * |
74 |
Cassard |
74 |
Patriote |
80 |
Alexandre |
74 |
Conquerant |
74 |
Tourville |
80 |
Foudroyant |
74 |
Diomede |
74 |
Ulysse |
74 |
Alliance |
74 |
Eole |
74 |
Vétéran |
74 |
Aquilon |
74 |
Impétueux |
74 |
Wattigny |
Frigates, Cornète, Félicité, Indienne, Valeureuse, Volontaire,
Ship-corvette, Diligente, and brig-corvettes Espiégle and Vulcain
On the first discovery of the ships in the morning, the Felix schooner had been sent with the intelligence to the admiral off Ushant ; and, on their anchoring, the 36-gun frigate Aigle, Captain George Wolfe, who had joined about an hour before was despatched upon the same errand.
At the time the news reached him, which was soon after noon on the 21st, Admiral Cornwallis lay with his fleet, numbering 17 sail of the line, one frigate (exclusive of two others and a brig-sloop on the look-out in-shore), two cutters, and one schooner, about three leagues south by west of the island of Ushant. The British fleet, the names of the whole of the ship of which, owing to the frequent departures and arrivals of the preceding 10 days, we are unable to give, hauled to the wind on the larboard tack, with a moderate breeze at north by east, and at about 2 h. 30 m. p.m. passed the west end of Ushant within less than three miles. At 3 h. 30 m., having made Pointe Saint-Mathieu, the fleet shortened sail, and soon discovered the French ships, some at an anchor and others under way. The admiral being desirous himself to reconnoitre the enemy, the Ville-de-Paris made the signal for the fleet to disregard her motions, and, then stood in towards the Indefatigable and her two consorts. At 5 p.m. the Ville-de-Paris and in-shore squadron, having a fair view of the French fleet, shortened sail and counted the number of vessels ; which was found to correspond with the number already given, except in the omission of the corvette, At 5 h. 30 m. p.m. Pointe Saint-Mathieu bearing north only a mile and a half distant, the Ville-de-Paris wore to rejoin her fleet. Immediately several shot and shells were fired at her and the ships in company, both from Pointe Saint-Mathieu and from the west point of Bertheaume, but without effect. At 6 h. 30 m.
* Late Révolutionaire
^ back to top ^ |